Self serving cigar humidor-jar



y 9 1934, J. c. PATTERSON 1,965,129

SELF SERVING CIGAR HUMIDOR JAR Filed Sept. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i z g5 4; /X NW N E IZVfl/L JC. pai'i'erson July 3, 1934. J c PATTERSON 1,965,129

SELF SERVING CIGAR HUMIDOR JAR Filed Sept. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Z Q z i I l .JZ .5

- I I I I 5 I a 57 l V I I I I l I a 5 1 I 1 1 I I I I I I I 1 I I j I I 4 Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF SERVING CIGAR HUlVHDOR-JAR Application September 25, 1930, Serial No. 484,394

Claims.

The present invention relates to humidors or containers for cigars and tobacco and more particularly to a device of this kind which is so constructed that it may be readily mounted in a con- 5 spicuous and convenient place.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is so constructed that it may be readily mounted on the top of a counter or the like and which is convenient to customers so that the customer may remove the articles therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which is so constructed as to readily disclose the contents thereof and at the same time to comply with various regulations and laws with respect to the articles being positioned in the original containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a humidor which is constructed of transparent material so as to disclose the articles positioned therein and at the same time to keep the articles in a moistened condition.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind means for holding the articles positioned therein in an upright position so as to permit their ready removal from the container and at the same time to present a relatively pleasing apperance in that the articles will be maintained in a neat order at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a package or inner container for cigars or tobacco which may be readily positioned in a transparent display device, the inner container being constructed of relatively cheap material so as to eliminate the necessity of providing wooden boxes or the like as is at present the case.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a detail front elevation of a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail perspective View of the inner container;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially through the center of the device;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the base;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the cigar box; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the rack positioned within the box for maintaining cigars in a vertical position.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 designates generally a base which may be constructed of any desired material and the numeral 11 designates a self serving humidor which is adapted to be mounted on the base 10. The base 10 may be constructed of any desired material and of any desired configuration but in the preferred embodiment of this invention the base 10 is preferably constructed in substantially rectangular shape and having the side walls 12 thereof inclined inwardly or in upwardly converging relation so that the flat surface of the side walls 12 will be entirely exposed to the eye 76 of a person standing before the device which is mounted on a sales counter.

The base 10 is provided with a recess 13 therein for receiving the lower end of the humidor 11. Each side wall 12 of the base is provided with an elongated opening 14 therein and a slot 15 which opens at the upper end thereof in the recess 13, the slot 15 being adapted to receive a suitable display card or the like for advertising purposes, the card having suitable indicia or the like posi- 8'0 tioned thereon which is exposed through the elongated opening 14.

The humidor 11 comprises a base or bottom 16 which is relatively thick and a plurality of upstanding vertically disposed walls 17 which may be integrally formed with the base 16 and constructed of transparent material such as glass, celluloid or the like.

The base 16 of the humidor or outer receptacle is provided with a recess 18 for receiving a so. moistened sponge or the like and the marginal edges of the recess 18 extend inwardly from the outer edges of the base 16 so as to provide shoulders 19, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described. A lid or top 20 is hingedly secured to the upper end of the humidor 11 by means of a hinge 21 and is provided with a centrally disposed handle or knob 22 and a forward or front handle 23 so that the lid may be readily raised upwardly into open position on the hinge 21. 100 The lid 20 may be constructed of material similar to the humidor 11 or, if desired, constructed of different material but is preferably constructed of transparent material so that the articles positioned within the humidor 11 may be readily 5 visible through the top 20. The top 20 preferably extends downwardly into the humidor 11 so as to provide a relatively tight lid, the top 20 being provided with an upwardly extending flange 24 which terminates at a horizontal flange 25, the 1 horizontal flange 25 engaging the upper end of the side walls 17.

A package of cigars or tobacco generally designated as 26 is adapted to be positioned within the humidor 11, the package 26 comprising a lower or base portion 27 and an upper removable portion 28 which may be formed integrally with the base portion 27, the side Walls of the container 26 being provided with suitable scores 29 so that the side walls of the container 26 may be readily separated for removing the top portion 28.

A stamp 30 may be pasted on one of the side walls of the container 26 and overlie the score 29 so that before the top 28 can be removed from the bottom 27 it will be necessary to tear the stamp 30 and thereby cancel the stamp.

The base or bottom portion 27 is preferably provided on the vertical walls thereof with indicia 31 designating the kind of cigars or tobacco which are positioned within the container 26 and suitable price numerals 32 may be positioned on the side walls adjacent the indicia 31 so that when the bottom 27 is positioned within the humidor 11, the indicia 31 and the numerals 32 will be visible through the transparent walls 17 of the humidor 11. The bottom of the lower portion 27 is adapted to rest on the walls 19 of the base 16 and the bottom 33 may also be provided with suitable scores 34 of any desired configuration so as to permit the removal of portions of the bottom 33 so that the moisture contained in the sponge or humidifying element 35 will pass upwardly into the interior of the humidor 11.

A rack 36 is adapted to be positioned within the lower portion 27 of the container 26, the rack 36 comprising an upper perforated plate 37 which is adapted to receive in the perforations 38 thereof the lower ends of cigars or tobacco members 39, and the side walls of the rack 36 are bent in substantially vertical position so as to dispose the top plate 37 in spaced relation to the bottom 33 of the lower member 27. In this manner, the lower ends of the cigars or tobacco members 39 are dependingly held within the lower portion 27 and held in upright position within the humidor 11. In this manner, also, the cigars 39 are individually supported within the humidor 11 so that when a number of cigars 39 have been removed from the rack 36, the remaining cigars will still be held in vertically disposed position.

The rack 36 together with the container 26 are preferably constructed of pressed paper or cardboard so that these members may be very cheaply manufactured and so as to provide a relatively light but at the same time substantial inner container. The container 26 is adapted to be supplied by the manufacturer of the cigars 39 and the bottom portion 27 is removably positioned within the humidor 11. The inner box or receptacle 26 may be constructed out of a single sheet of material and in like manner, the supporting rack 36 may be stamped out of a single sheet of cardboard, certain vertical walls 40 of which may be provided with scores or slots 41 for receiving the securing tongue 42 carried by the abutting vertical walls 43.

In the use of this device, the humidor 11 and the base 10 may be initially supplied by the manufacturer of the cigars or tobacco or purchased by the seller of the articles and on receipt of the package or box 26 containing the cigars or tobacco members 39, the top portion 28 may be removed from the lower portion 27 by tearing or cutting the wall of the box 26 along the scores 29.

The removable members 44 of the bottom 33 may then be removed by pushing the members 44 inwardly or cutting the bottom 33 along the scores 34 so that the removable portions 44 may be detached from the bottom 33, the lower portion 27 then being placed into the humidor 11. It is of course understood that the sponge or humidifying element 35 is first moistened to the desired degree. The moisture within the humidifying element 35 will then pass upwardly through the openings 45 formed in the bottom 33 by removing the elements 44.

The lower portion 27 of the box 26 comprises a relatively small fraction of the box 26 so that when the lower portion 27 with the cigars or tobacco members 39 are positioned within the humidor 11, the greater portion of the cigars 39 will be exposed to view through the transparent walls 11 of the humidor. The device herein disclosed is now ready for removal of the cigars 39 by the purchaser thereof who may swing the lid 20 upwardly on the hinge 21 and withdraw the desired niunber of cigars 39 from the container. If desired, any suitable indicia or characters 46 may be printed or otherwise positioned on the side walls 17 adjacent the top thereof.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that a relatively simple but at the same time attractive display and self serving device has been disclosed by means of which the desired merchandise may be exposed to View but at the same time preserved against destruction or undue handling. In practice, the box 26 is adapted to receive a conventional quantity of cigars, say approximately fifty cigars, and if desired the display device herein disclosed may be used for any other articles other than the cigars or tobacco.

t is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:-

1. A device of the character described comprising in combination a transparent receptacle having a recessed bottom, a humidifying element disposed within the recessed bottom, an article supporting member positioned in the receptacle and overlying the recess, said article supporting member comprising a perforated bottom overlying the recessed bottom of the receptacle, a plurality of upstanding side walls loosely engaging the inner faces of the walls of the receptacle, and a perforated rack mounted between the upstanding walls and adapted to removably support a plurality of articles in upstanding position within the receptacle.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination a receptacle having a recessed bottom, an article supporting member positioned in the receptacle and overlying the recess, said article supporting member comprising a perforated bottom overlying the recessed bottom of the reeptacle, upstanding side walls removably engaging the walls of the receptacle, and a perforated rack mounted between the upstanding walls above the perforate bottom and adapted to removably support articles in upstanding position within the receptacle and above the perforate bottom.

3. A device as described comprising a receptacle having a recess in a wall thereof to receive a humidifying element for humidifying the interior of the receptacle, and a removable article supporting means in the receptacle, said supporting means comprising two perforated members secured together in spaced relation to each other, one of said members being adapted to receive and support in the perforations thereof relatively long articles, said articles being supported in a manner to permit removal of one or more of the articles without disturbing the remaining articles and with one end thereof confronting the perforations of the other member.

1. A device as described comprising a receptacle having a humidifying means communicating with the interior thereof, an inner container removably disposed in the receptacle and having a perforated wall confronting the humidifying means, and a perforated rack in the container 

